Podcast
Questions and Answers
The lithosphere is subdivided into seven major plates: African plate, Antarctic plate, Eurasian plate, Indo-Australian plate, North America plate, Pacific plate, and ______ plate
The lithosphere is subdivided into seven major plates: African plate, Antarctic plate, Eurasian plate, Indo-Australian plate, North America plate, Pacific plate, and ______ plate
South American
The minor plates are: Caribbean, Scotia, Arabian, Indian, Philippine, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, and ______ plates
The minor plates are: Caribbean, Scotia, Arabian, Indian, Philippine, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, and ______ plates
Nazca
Average thickness of the lithosphere covered by a continent is ______ km
Average thickness of the lithosphere covered by a continent is ______ km
125
Average thickness of the lithosphere covered by the oceanic crust is ______ km
Average thickness of the lithosphere covered by the oceanic crust is ______ km
Signup and view all the answers
Tectonic plates move at a very ______ rate
Tectonic plates move at a very ______ rate
Signup and view all the answers
Alfred Wegener (1915) German scientist, introduced the continental ______ theory
Alfred Wegener (1915) German scientist, introduced the continental ______ theory
Signup and view all the answers
States the continents are moving Earth was once a large continent called ______
States the continents are moving Earth was once a large continent called ______
Signup and view all the answers
Pangaea broke about 225 million years ago into the continents Laurasia and ______
Pangaea broke about 225 million years ago into the continents Laurasia and ______
Signup and view all the answers
Scientist did not accept the continental drift theory because it had no concrete explanation on how the continents drift apart. Wegener reasoned that the rotation of the Earth caused the continents to shift towards and ______ from each other
Scientist did not accept the continental drift theory because it had no concrete explanation on how the continents drift apart. Wegener reasoned that the rotation of the Earth caused the continents to shift towards and ______ from each other
Signup and view all the answers
Continental fit shows that there is a close match between the coastlines of continents on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean. (Eastern shoreline of South America and Western shorelines of Africa seem to fit ______)
Continental fit shows that there is a close match between the coastlines of continents on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean. (Eastern shoreline of South America and Western shorelines of Africa seem to fit ______)
Signup and view all the answers
Similar rock layers and mountain ranges are found in continents across the ______
Similar rock layers and mountain ranges are found in continents across the ______
Signup and view all the answers
Mountain ranges of the same age, structure, and rock types are found in South America and ______
Mountain ranges of the same age, structure, and rock types are found in South America and ______
Signup and view all the answers
Fossils of extinct plants and animals are found on rocks that are of the same age and these rocks are widely distributed in continents that are very far from one another. A.Mesosaurus is a freshwater crocodile-like reptile found in Southern Africa and Eastern South America. This suggest that South America and Africa were joined in the ______
Fossils of extinct plants and animals are found on rocks that are of the same age and these rocks are widely distributed in continents that are very far from one another. A.Mesosaurus is a freshwater crocodile-like reptile found in Southern Africa and Eastern South America. This suggest that South America and Africa were joined in the ______
Signup and view all the answers
Glacial evidence like scrubs and scratches created as plates slide along the surface are found in different ______
Glacial evidence like scrubs and scratches created as plates slide along the surface are found in different ______
Signup and view all the answers
Harry Gess, American geologist, and Robert Deitz, American oceanographer, introduced the seafloor spreading theory - Explains how the continents drifted away from one another - Hot and less dense material from the mantle rises to the surface on mid-ocean ridges. This material flows sideways and pushes the seafloor away from the ridge in both ______
Harry Gess, American geologist, and Robert Deitz, American oceanographer, introduced the seafloor spreading theory - Explains how the continents drifted away from one another - Hot and less dense material from the mantle rises to the surface on mid-ocean ridges. This material flows sideways and pushes the seafloor away from the ridge in both ______
Signup and view all the answers
In 1963, British Geophysicists, Frederick John Vine and Drummond Hoyle Matthews, explained that stripes of magnetic materila on the seafloor providw strong evidence for tectonic movements - Magnetic fields has ______
In 1963, British Geophysicists, Frederick John Vine and Drummond Hoyle Matthews, explained that stripes of magnetic materila on the seafloor providw strong evidence for tectonic movements - Magnetic fields has ______
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Lithosphere and Tectonic Plates
- The lithosphere is subdivided into seven major plates: African, Antarctic, Eurasian, Indo-Australian, North America, Pacific, and South American plates.
- The minor plates are: Caribbean, Scotia, Arabian, Indian, Philippine, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, and Nazca plates.
Thickness of the Lithosphere
- Average thickness of the lithosphere covered by a continent is 100-200 km.
- Average thickness of the lithosphere covered by the oceanic crust is 50-100 km.
Plate Movement
- Tectonic plates move at a very slow rate of 2-10 cm/year.
Continental Drift Theory
- Alfred Wegener (1915) introduced the continental drift theory, stating that the continents are moving.
- The continents were once a large continent called Pangaea.
- Pangaea broke about 225 million years ago into the continents Laurasia and Gondwana.
Evidence for Continental Drift
- Continental fit shows that there is a close match between the coastlines of continents on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
- Similar rock layers and mountain ranges are found in continents across the Atlantic Ocean.
- Mountain ranges of the same age, structure, and rock types are found in South America and Africa.
- Fossils of extinct plants and animals are found on rocks that are of the same age and are widely distributed in continents that are very far from one another.
Seafloor Spreading Theory
- Harry Gess and Robert Deitz introduced the seafloor spreading theory, explaining how the continents drifted away from one another.
- Hot and less dense material from the mantle rises to the surface on mid-ocean ridges, flowing sideways and pushing the seafloor away from the ridge in both directions.
Magnetic Evidence
- Frederick John Vine and Drummond Hoyle Matthews explained that stripes of magnetic material on the seafloor provide strong evidence for tectonic movements.
- Magnetic fields have reversed many times in the Earth's history.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Learn about the major and minor tectonic plates that make up the Earth's lithosphere. Understand the characteristics and composition of these plates as well as their geological significance.
